Houston is a foodie city at heart and this got driven home again at the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America culinary event. Presented by Capital One and co-hosted by Houston First, this one-night-only extravaganza brought chefs and foodies alike to The Post Oak Hotel for walkaround tasting that highlighted the Bayou City’s diverse restaurant scene.
Through the James Beard Foundation, a cohort of 20 top chefs — referred to as the TasteTwenty — have hosted dinners and tasting sessions around the country. Ope Amosu of the newly Michelin recognized ChòpnBlok served as Houston’s 2025 TasteTwenty chef. At his restaurant’s station, Amosu presented African palm butter chicken and prawns with Liberian greens and plantain-potato mash.
The star-studded chef lineup brought James Beard Award nominees and semifinalists, including Emmanuel Chavez of Tatemó, Suu Khin of Burmalicious, David Skinner of Ishtia, Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu of JUN, and Michelle Wallace of B’tween Sandwich Co.
Houston’s wide range of cuisines was on full display, with options ranging from Pad Thai-oatmeal fluffernutter (Vanarin Kuch, Koffeteria) and Lamb Kibbeh Nayeh with Tabbouleh (Felipe Riccio, March) to Pargo en Salsa de Coco (Flo Polanco, Flor Y Miel).
There were plentiful options for those with a sweet tooth too. Tristen Epps-Long of Buboy served baobab ice cream with peach-fig jam, fig leaf oil and toasted almond salt. Cochinita & Co.’s Victoria Elizondo made Flan de Maracuyá y Coco (coconut-vanilla bean flan) with passion fruit coulis, caramelized pineapple and salted coconut.
Between bites, lucky attendees refueled at beverage stations from The Balvenie/Glenfiddich, Klipsun Winery, Rambler Sparkling Water, Surely Wines, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Mijenta Tequila and JUSTIN Vineyards & Winery.
Just as savory as the food was the sense of camaraderie between chefs.
“It’s always an exciting time to cook alongside such talented people,” JUN chef Henry Lu says. “There’s a greater sense of honor when you can call all these chefs friends. I knew I was in good company and it was a delicious night.”
A Houston food kind of night.